


Aftermath

by merelypassingtime



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Based on a Tumblr Post, Character Death, Established Relationship, M/M, Set Theoretically Post-Infinity War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 03:20:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13022163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merelypassingtime/pseuds/merelypassingtime
Summary: After Loki is killed in the battle with Thanos, Tony has to face a bleak future alone.





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rmh8402](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmh8402/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Sorry](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13141821) by [rmh8402](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmh8402/pseuds/rmh8402). 



Tony limped into his empty apartment at the top of Stark Tower, leaning heavily on the cane that the hospital has insisted he take. Actually they had tried to insist that he stay a couple more days to heal, but he had flatly refused: The pitying looks and smothering sympathy had been too much to bare any longer.

Now, he found himself equal parts relieved by the comforting familiarity of being in his own space, and stabbed afresh by the vast, empty silence of the place. He knew he was there alone; that he would always be there alone.

A pain shot through his chest that owed nothing to the arc reactor in it as he realized that this place which had once held so much joy and laughter would never be home again. He would never be home again, not now that the man who had embodied that feeling of warmth and contentment lay somewhere under the rubble of New York, forever out of Tony's reach.

He took a quick breath, one that bordered on a sob, and pushed the thought away, knowing that it would return, but also knowing that right now he need to keep moving forward or that darkness would overwhelm him.

It had been his plan to pour himself a drink, to hell with the medications he was on, take it and the bottle it came from out onto the balcony, and raise a toast or several to his lost love until he couldn't feel anything anymore. It had been a good plan, but he didn't have the energy and honestly he was already dangerously numb, all his emotions deadened by grief and pain.

Instead he turned toward his bedroom, hobbling slowly across the huge living, the thump of his cane echoing in the cavernous room.

When he reached the double doors into his room, he paused, feeling humiliated by his own need to catch his breath. The room was lit faintly by the glow of neighboring buildings coming through the floor to ceiling windows, and Tony surveyed it, remembering what a mess he and Loki had left in their hurry to battle last week. None of that chaos was evident now, Pepper must have had the place cleaned and prepped for his return. It was just like her, he thought fondly.

His gaze stopped when it reached the bed, surprised to find that it was rumpled. In the otherwise pristine room, the lumpy comforter was distinctly out of place and he looked at it in puzzlement for a long moment. He had just decided that it was probably nothing and taken a step into the room when the lump moved, emitting a low groan.

Tony instantly froze, as the shape on the bed continued to twist around. Moving slowly he took a small step back towards the bedroom door, then another. Suddenly, the figure on the bed sat upright, and Tony stumbled backwards, the only thing that saved him from falling flat on the floor was his lucky collision with the frame of the doorway. He started to bark out the command that would summon his suit when he registered the familiar, pale face framed by long, dark hair. 

Bright green eyes stared back at him, and Loki whispered “Tony?” into the sudden silence.

Tony's knees gave out at the sound of that well-loved voice, and he slid to the floor, dropping the cane in a loud clatter. It couldn't be real, it couldn't be his Loki. Loki was dead, he had seen him fall in the battle with Thanos.

He heard himself chanting “No, no, no...” as he pressed the heels of his hands over his eyes, blocking out the impossible sight. Whether it was a trick of his mind or some new, cruel game started by yet another enemy he didn't care. His heart couldn't bear even the hope that Loki might be alive. Not when losing him again would kill him.

A gentle touch on his arm made him look up against his will, and there was Loki kneeling next to him, looking as bruised and battered as Tony still felt himself but also undeniably and wonderfully real. He could only stare dumbfounded as the other man moved his hand from his arm to cradle his cheek. The thumb moved to wipe away a tear he hadn’t felt falling as Loki asked full of concern, “Tony, my Love, are you okay? What is wrong?”

“You- you are dead. I watched you die.”

“Oh, Love.” Loki smiled at him, then pulled him forward into an embrace. He whispered into Tony's ear, “Do you really think that they could keep me in the Halls of Valhalla when I have you to return to?”

Tears were now streaming down Tony's face, but even through their blur he could make out the matching tears on Loki's cheeks as the god pulled back to meet his eyes again, continuing, “There is nothing in all the heavens or hells that can keep me from you. I will always return for you. Always.”

When Loki leaned in for a kiss, Tony met him halfway, crushing their lips together with bruising force. 

The tight knot in Tony's chest loosened a bit, and he let himself hope that this was real.

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a follow up to rmh8402's beautiful, painful piece on Tumblr.  
> You should read the first part at:  
> https://rmh8402.tumblr.com/post/168501348648/sosorry  
> Or at  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/13141821


End file.
